STE: Power Games
by ZenosParadox
Summary: RS, Tu, A. Reed and Sato have fun with Bukah and Gurtag's latest cargo. 5 of 5 chapters. Sequel to Power Couplings. Warning on last chapter.
1. Old Friends

Title: Power Games   
  
Author: ZenosParadox  
  
Category: Action/Adventure   
  
Rating: PG-13   
  
Summary: RS, Tu, A. Reed and Sato have fun with Bukah and Gurtag's latest cargo. 5 chapters.  
  
Warning: Sensitive material in the last chapter. Have tissues ready.  
  
Disclaimer: The character names belong to Paramount. This fiction was written solely for personal enjoyment.  
  
POWER GAMES   
  
CHAPTER 1: OLD FRIENDS  
  
"Captain, I'm detecting weapons fire in the perimeter of the solar system." Lieutenant Malcolm Reed reported to Captain Jonathan Archer from his position on the bridge.   
  
"My scans indicate the vessel under fire cannot adequately defend itself, Captain." Sub-commander T'Pol moved to the console against the wall to verify her statements. "It is severely outgunned."   
  
"Sir, I've intercepted a transmission from the ship under attack to the raiders. It's Bukah; the ship is the Light Bringer." Ensign Hoshi Sato turned to Archer. "She insists they carry nothing worth looting."   
  
Archer sat up straight in his chair. "Lieutenant, I think we need to give our friends a hand. Bring weapons on line. Travis, let's intercept these raiders before they do more damage to the ship."   
  
Archer then turned to the comm link to say, "Commander Tucker, we'll need you at your station on the bridge. We've got some old friends to rescue."   
  
"I'm on my way, Cap'n."   
  
-----   
  
As soon as Enterprise dropped out of warp, the raiders began targeting the Starfleet vessel. The phase cannons in the Armory returned fire.   
  
"Two direct hits on the raiders, sir," reported Reed with a bit of elation. He did enjoy the shooting back part of his job.   
  
"Sir, the raiders are transmitting an audio-only message." Sato was quiet as the UT ran through the translation. "Captain, they say there's plenty of bounty on the Light Bringer for both of us. They are willing to share."   
  
Archer was offended at the suggestion he'd be a mercenary. What could the Light Bringer possibly have that warranted a bounty? Bukah and Gurtag had been atypical Klingons as they adopted the ways of the Seekers, but their isolation from Klingon society was voluntary. He spoke sternly to the raiders.   
  
"This is Captain Archer. The answer to your offer is no. Now, leave the sector while you still can."   
  
"The raiders are leaving, Captain," said T'Pol. "There has been extensive damage to the Light Bringer."   
  
"The pattern of weapons fire indicates the raiders were out to disable the ship, Captain." Reed's voice sounded as proficient and cold as T'Pol's had been.   
  
"Hoshi, open a channel. Tell Bukah we're ready to help," said Archer.   
  
"This is the Enterprise to the Light Bringer. Bukah, Captain Archer says we're ready to help. Can you maneuver your ship?" Sato waited patiently for a response.   
  
"We have no helm control. There's been a breach and we are unable to stop the loss of oxygen. We must evacuate our passengers. We have twenty children with us."   
  
The officers on the bridge exchanged glances. Children? Twenty of them? They heard Tucker whisper under his breath, "Them Klingons work fast."   
  
"Bukah, did you say you have children on board?" Archer wanted this verified.   
  
"Yes, Captain Archer." The bridge crew then heard the male Klingon voice. "I cannot maneuver the ship. I can only stop us from spinning."   
  
"Travis, get us in position to dock with their ship. Stand by, Gurtag. We'll do the maneuvering and clamps from here. Just extend your docking tunnel. I'll have Dr. Phlox ready with a medical team."   
  
"We thank you for your help, Captain Archer."   
  
-----  
  
Travis was able to bring the Enterprise along side the Light Bringer. Archer saw that Mayweather made that very difficult maneuver look easy. The helmsman gave a quick glance over his shoulder to see Archer nodding in satisfaction. "We've docked with the Light Bringer, Captain. I've activated the clamps."   
  
"Bukah, Gurtag, bring the children to the docking hatch. We'll have it open by the time you get there." Archer waited for the affirmative, but was interrupted before he could relay further orders.   
  
"Hold on, there. Something's wrong! The pressure's dropping too fast. I can't get our hatch to open." Tucker began tapping commands on the console. "I've dropped the pressure in the docking tube to match their pressure. As soon as the hatch is open, I'll start dumping as much oxygen in there as possible. We gotta get them out of that ship NOW."   
  
"There has been another breach on the Light Bringer, Captain. I am uncertain that the Enterprise can supply sufficient oxygen to keep the docking tunnel pressurized." The Vulcan looked at the Captain, but included Tucker in her gaze.   
  
"I can't keep enough pressure in that tunnel because the airflow would be too strong to work against. There's not gonna be a lot of oxygen in there when we get to them, Cap'n. We need to move them into our ship as fast as possible. I'll set up the room adjacent to the docking tube as a makeshift transfer chamber. Once we get them all in the Enterprise, I'll seal it off so we can increase the pressure on our side." Tucker rose.   
  
"I'll get a security team to help carry the children to sickbay. We'll use oxygen tanks and masks; we don't have time to suit up with EVs." Reed was already tapping the orders into his console.   
  
"Sir, I can translate into Klingon directly. I expect children of all cultures might be distressed by the circumstances. I'd best go with security," said Sato as she and Reed rose.   
  
Archer stifled a smile at the face of the impending calamity. It was nice to know he didn't have to bark orders when the need was so obvious. "Proceed to your assignments, then. Travis, make sure we stay as steady as possible. We don't want any of our movements to complicate matters.   
  
"Aye, sir," said Mayweather with a look of determination on his face. Flying a ship in open space was a breeze compared to keeping it in a specific orientation against a ship that was venting air as strongly as the Light Bringer was. It was like hanging on to a deflating balloon. He wasn't about to let his crew down.   
  
"Doctor Phlox, please prepare sickbay for patients who need to be treated for oxygen deprivation. Oh, and expect twenty Klingon children."   
  
"Captain, did you say TWENTY children?" Phlox' voice sounded quite enthusiastic at the prospect.   
  
"Yes, and if you have any ideas about how we can accommodate them, let me know." Archer sat back and tried to wait patiently for his officers to do their job. He finally gave up, turned to T'Pol and said, "I'll be waiting with Phlox in sickbay. You have the bridge."   
  
*****  
  
Author Notes:  
  
Written April 27, 2003, and posted at LD. 16 pages, 5 chapters. Sequel to Power Couplings. Revised from original story to enhance a bit of romance.  
  
No reviews are necessary. I thank you for taking the time to read the story. 


	2. Rescue

CHAPTER 2: RESCUE  
  
Sato was using the quick step she had been taught in her security training to keep up with Reed and his team. Reed tried to give her an O2 tank, but the Ensign gave it to back to the security officer. "I can't have anything dampening my voice, Lieutenant. I'll take some O2 if I start feeling the effects."   
  
Reed looked at her skeptically, but Sato continued. "These children are going to be frightened. I think we need some people without masks so they'll feel comfortable."   
  
Tucker quickly offered his support. "She's got a point, Malcolm. We should probably have one of your security without a mask, too. I'm pumping pure oxygen in there, it's the partial pressure of O2 that counts for breathing. You may not even need any supplemental air if I can keep the ventilation just right."   
  
"Fine, but keep your tank on your back with your mask close at hand." Reed waited for Sato to agree. He would be the other officer without a mask.   
  
Tucker was loping ahead and stopped at the control panel outside of the hatch. "When we get into the room, I'll dump the pressure to equalize with the Light Bringer. As that happens, your ears will pop, and you know the drill from then. You'll open the hatch, then I'll turn on the O2 flow. Once that happens, it's gonna get loud in there. I've got as much oxygen flow as possible. Any more and they'd be blown out through the Light Bringer and into space."   
  
Tucker waited for everyone's nod before turning to Reed. "I'm gonna shut off the gravity plating in the room. That should help us get everyone out."   
  
"We're prepared for that, Commander." He knew Tucker would cringe at the damage they were doing to the walls of the corridors, but once the hatch opened, it could very well be the vacuum of space they would be facing. Reed called to his security team, "Get those anchoring rings set as soon as we move inside the next compartment."   
  
Reed grabbed the line that had a series of belts and tossed one to Sato. She efficiently clamped it around her waist and moved to the hatch with Reed staying right behind her. They went into the room and Tucker sealed the door behind them. The security team set the anchors and tested the tethers.   
  
Sato felt the pain in her ears immediately, but automatically adjusted by performing the drill to counter loss of pressure. She went to the docking hatch and in Klingon shouted, "We're going to open the hatch. We're anchored, so just hang on to anything in the tunnel. Bang twice if you understand."   
  
Clang, clang. The officers released a sigh of relief. At Tucker's nod, Reed opened the hatch.   
  
The vacuum began pulling on them immediately and facilitated the security team's ability to reach the nest of children hanging on to the ridges of the docking tunnel. Bukah began literally tossing children two at a time to the Starfleet officers as soon as they appeared. She had braced herself by impaling her jacket on one of the struts that had come loose.   
  
Sato clutched two little girls under her arms and drifted back to the Enterprise with gravity field acting like a magnet once she got past the docking hatch. She kept shouting any words of comfort she could remember in Klingon. "No danger now. We'll take care of you. "   
  
The sound of the ventilation was almost unbearable, but still the oxygen pressure was too low. Sato began to see stars, so she quickly used her mask to inhale oxygen. She then gave the children a quick inhalation before returning to the hatch for the next round of children. See saw Reed doing likewise.   
  
-----  
  
At the end of the tunnel Gurtag was shoving at three of the older Klingon boys who had been herding the young ones ahead of them. Reed moved in after giving his last set of children to Tucker to see about getting the adult Klingons out.   
  
The breach in the Light Bringer began to increase and the force of the airflow was overwhelming. Time was running out, but Bukah turned to grab at Gurtag. As Reed approached them, he ripped the back of Bukah's jacket to release her from her anchor and gave her access to his tether. Together they reached an arm for Gurtag, and brought him into the Enterprise.   
  
Sato saw the Klingons tumbling into the Enterprise with Reed looking like he was being dragged in by their movement since Bukah still held the tether in a rigid grasp. Tucker grabbed Reed by the back of his uniform, said a silent prayer for having such a lean Armory Officer, and tossed him out of the way before slamming the hatch shut. The roar of the oxygen flow continued until the pressure was at a safe level.   
  
Sato looked at Bukah and Gurtag who were wheezing from their effort and moved with Reed to offer their oxygen. Reed was sitting with his back leaning against the wall as he surveyed the rescued party. Twenty children. He saw Sato holding tightly to the two little girls she had first recovered. They appeared to be twins and were responding as she said soothingly, "See. All are safe. We'll fix your ship. You're with friends."   
  
Tucker tore off his mask and pulled out his communicator. "Tucker to sickbay. Better get down here with some more oxygen, Doc. These folks won't be able to move until you see to them. Looks like no major injuries, though."   
  
Sato saw Tucker smile at the Klingon children around him. In the meantime, Reed had closed his eyes and decided to stay where he was sitting. Sato watched as one of the youngest of the boys he had rescued scooted over to the man and tapped his shoulder. Reed opened his eyes in surprise. The little boy reached out a hand to touch his forehead and said, "Thank you."   
  
Sato looked at Bukah and Gurtag with her question. The linguist then translated for everyone. "The human tongue has expressions not often used in Klingon. We have taught these to the children."   
  
Bukah leaned against Gurtag and waited. Their precious cargo was safe.   
  
~~~~~  
  
Dr. Phlox seemed to be in his element as he moved from bed to bed to scan the children. Sato was leaning against a biobed that held four little Klingon girls with their feet dangling in the air.   
  
Reed stood by the next bed because the littlest boy had grabbed his hand and refused to let go. The Armory Officer noticed the grin that Sato kept trying to hide at his predicament, but merely rolled his eyes and sighed. He assumed he would soon be released to see to his duties and leave the care of the children to more adept crewmembers--like Sato. He turned to her and gave her a bright smile.   
  
All Klingons and humans were now off oxygen masks, so Archer stepped forward to greet the Klingons. Sato had given Bukah and Gurtag a UT, although their command of English had much improved.   
  
"Welcome aboard. It looks like you have your hands full again," said Archer as he approached the bed where Gurtag and Bukah sat.   
  
"The children are from the Kumburan House. They represent seven family units." Bukah's voice was quiet.   
  
"Where are their parents? Was this just a field trip? Or were you transporting them to meet their folks?"   
  
Gurtag's tone was harsh as he spoke instead of Bukah. "Their parents have been--eliminated. We were transporting them to the Seeker Colony on Quamong to be with them, but the colony was attacked."   
  
"We received the instructions to turn away from Quamong and take the children to an alternate location." Bukah's voice continued its quiet tone. She looked at her young charges and added, "They range in age from four to twelve."   
  
"I don't understand why a bounty hunter was after you. A scan of your ship clearly shows no precious commodities," said Archer.   
  
Sato and Reed gave their full attention to Bukah's explanation. The Klingon looked around at the children, the future peacemakers for the Klingon species. Although she was a Seeker, her warrior's heart knew that she would die to protect them. Would the humans understand? She exchanged a quick look with Gurtag before continuing.   
  
"The children are the bounty. They want the children alive to be returned to Kronos. "   
  
"So the raiders weren't out to kill the children?"   
  
"No." Gurtag's voice was stern.   
  
"But you don't think it's a good idea to return them to Kronos?"   
  
"The children would be indoctrinated by the Rumaiym into 'proper' Klingon doctrine. Those fools believe in Durgath and Cymele; they will never be Seekers! The House of Duras is behind this! All the work of their parents to train them as Seekers will be stripped from them if they return to Kronos." Bukah's voice carried a note of bitterness.   
  
"This situation must put you in some danger then," offered Archer. He understood matters now. The children were pawns in a power game between two Klingon Houses.   
  
"Our lives are forfeit. The children are wanted because they are strong, intelligent, and talented. They are the best seeds for the future." Gurtag then added, "We will die before we see them turned over to the rival house."   
  
"Was this House responsible for the assault on the colony?" asked Archer. He couldn't believe a civilization could be so vicious.   
  
Gurtag seemed about to agree, but Bukah held her hand up and he swallowed his words. "The House of Duras is merely a scavenger taking advantage of the situation. There is no evidence that Quamong was destroyed by them."   
  
"They act through agents, but Bukah is correct. We have no evidence."   
  
Archer nodded his head. He looked to Reed and Sato who were absorbing the information. Reed became tense at the thought of dealing with more Klingons. His paranoid nature immediately leapt to images of Enterprise being pursued by raiders and renegade Klingons.   
  
Bukah continued her explanations. "There is another planet, more isolated, with an abandoned Seeker colony. It is barely habitable. It is unknown to any but the most loyal Seekers. We plan to raise the children there until their age of ascension when they will be incorruptible by the Rumaiym and are able to protect themselves from the House of Duras. The children must eventually be re-introduced to Klingon society, Captain. They will be the peacemakers of the next generation. But first, they will learn to be Seekers."   
  
-----   
  
Phlox interrupted the conversation to complete another scan on the Klingons. The girls who sat by Sato leaned into her comfortably and giggled when the Doctor gave them one last hypospray. The boy with Reed had actually loosened his grip sufficiently so that the Lieutenant could flex his hand. He was about to make his excuses for leaving when Tucker entered sickbay to report to the Captain.   
  
"We managed to seal off the major leaks on their ship. The integrity of some of the seams on the Light Bringer is marginal, though. Several of their pressure hatches failed. That's why they were loosing air so badly. It'll take two days of repair work, Cap'n."   
  
"We will assist you, Commander Tucker," said Bukah with a small smile at the Southerner. Tucker could hear the low rumbling growl that seemed to be coming from Gurtag's throat.   
  
"Ahem, I'd be much obliged," said Tucker. "I think my engineers can handle the external repairs. They're out on the hull now, but we'll need you to show us where your critical systems are inside the ship so that we don't reinforce the internal hull at the cost of a critical system."   
  
"Well, it looks like you'll be our guests for the next two days. We'll have to see about quarters for everyone," began Archer.   
  
"Captain, I believe I have developed a plan. You merely need to recruit five officers. Even the smallest of the officer's quarters can accommodate the adult human and four Klingon children. Luckily for us, the sexes are divisible by four. We just need to accommodate Gurtag and Bukah." Phlox seemed quite pleased at the math.   
  
"Well, I'm gonna be real busy working on the Light Bringer. I'll let Bukah and Gurtag use my quarters for sleeping and bunk down with someone else," offered Tucker immediately.   
  
Reed was about to offer to be bunkmates with the Chief Engineer when Archer said, "Fine, Trip, why don't you bring an extra cot to my quarters?"   
  
Archer then looked at Reed and Sato with a smile. It was obvious that the Klingon children already felt comfortable with these two officers. He pointed to them as he said, "Malcolm, Hoshi, why don't you two take the youngest of the boys and girls? I'll have Travis see to the older boys. That leaves eight of the girls."   
  
"I think Ensigns Cutler and Moriarty will be happy to see to the remaining young ladies, Captain," said Phlox as he gave the names of the two women most likely to be found helping out in sickbay.   
  
"You have your assignments. Let's get everyone settled then we can get back to work."   
  
The children turned to look up at their humans and smiled. Tucker was chuckling at the look of chagrin on Reed's face. The Lieutenant began his protest, "Captain, really, I think that I'll be far too busy--"   
  
"The raiders have left the sector, Malcolm. We can let you know if you're needed on the bridge. It'll just be for--how long, Trip?"   
  
"I expect forty-eight hours, Cap'n," said Tucker with a wink at his friend. He turned to Reed and said, "Come on, Malcolm. How bad can two days and two nights be?"   
  
Reed looked sternly at his friend who obviously found his predicament amusing. "Do you really want me to answer that, Commander?"   
  
Tucker saw the smirk that Sato threw his way and began to blush. There were few things that embarrassed him, but getting rolled by shape-shifting warthogs and left tied to his crewmate was one of those things you just didn't bring up in polite company.   
  
"Come on, let's get to the Light Bringer. I'm sure Lieutenant Reed and Ensign Sato can see to the children. Play nice, you two."   
  
With a wave, Reed and Sato were left alone amid the twenty Klingon children.   
  
***** 


	3. Children at Play

CHAPTER 3: CHILDREN AT PLAY  
  
Mayweather, Cutler and Moriarty soon collected the older children to settle into their quarters. They carried the bedrolls with ease and looked like an Eagle Scout Troop ready for a two-day adventure. Wonderful, thought Reed. And why did HE have to see to the youngest ones? He felt the little hand clutching his and had his answer.   
  
Sato turned to her charges and said, "Let's have some fun. Put your pallet around you like a stole. Here, let me show you."   
  
With dramatic flair, she took the pallet and swung it over her shoulder, effectively swatting the Lieutenant in the face as he approached her.   
  
"Pfft. Ensign, I was going to say that since our children are of similar ages, perhaps we should rendezvous in the mess hall at 1200 hours."   
  
Reed was hoping Sato would offer to supervise all the children, but she merely smiled her agreement. Her girls were six years old and consisted of the twins, Ela and Ena, the curly-headed Rakel, and the quiet little one, Brene.   
  
"We'll see you there, Lieutenant. Here girls, let me adjust those so that the edges won't trip you," said Sato as she doubled some of the pallets. Her attention was soon drawn to Reed and his troop.   
  
"Very well, boys, the first thing we need to do is set up your pallets in my quarters. Stand up, form a straight line."   
  
The Lieutenant surveyed the formation. The three five-year olds were triplets. Warb, Warp, and Ward. The littlest one, Dart, had just turned four. He handed a bundle to each boy, turned and said, "Walk this way,"   
  
The boys fell in behind the Lieutenant to make their exit from sickbay. Dart didn't make it very far. He was also small for his age and seemed to be overwhelmed by the pallet he was carrying. Still, he was determined to follow his peers.   
  
Sato stifled a laugh as she saw Reed leading four boys who were all mimicking his brisk step--until the little one tumbled. She called out, "Lieutenant! Halt!"   
  
Reed stopped abruptly, did a sharp turn with military precision, which was also copied by the triplets, and found Dart desperately fighting off his pallet. He quickly lifted the boy to his feet, straightened his tunic, and folded the pallet into a tighter bundle.   
  
Reed tucked it under the boy's arm and asked, "Can you carry this now?"   
  
The boy nodded gravely, then clutched Reed's hand. Reed controlled his sigh and merely said, "Okay, fall in behind us."   
  
~~~~~  
  
In Reed's quarters, the Lieutenant continued his instructions. "The schedule we will follow will be precise. Gurtag insisted that all of you get some exercise, so now that we have your sleeping areas assigned, we--"   
  
"I have to go! I have to go!" Dart began jumping and appeared to be in real distress.   
  
"Yes, we'll go soon. Let me finish my instructions--"   
  
"But I have to go real bad! Where do I go?"   
  
Reed stood dumbfounded for a moment until one of the triplets, being the wise age of five, said, "He's going to wet himself!"   
  
Wet? Wait! How did Klingons? Reed ran to the comm link, rapped it sharply and said, "Doctor Phlox, I have an emergency! Come quickly!"   
  
-----  
  
What could the Lieutenant possibly have done to the boys to require medical assistance so soon? Phlox hurried to Reed's quarters, putting in a burst of speed as he considered all the weapons that the Armory Officer probably had in his quarters. He just hoped he wasn't too late.   
  
The door opened as Phlox rounded the corner. Reed stuck his head out and waved the physician in with great urgency. "Doctor! Quickly now!"   
  
Gasping for breath, Phlox entered the cabin to find three boys chuckling and the littlest one hopping from foot to foot. Had the poor child stepped on some knife or other weapon?   
  
Before the Denobulan could approach the Klingon child, Reed explained, "He needs to eliminate body water. How do Klingons--"   
  
Phlox stopped abruptly. His look of disbelief registered fully on the abashed Lieutenant. Reed cleared his throat and said, "Ah, I see. Just like little human boys?"   
  
"An excellent observation, Lieutenant," said Phlox dryly. He waved his hand to have Reed scoot the boy to his bathroom.   
  
Reed prodded Dart forward, opened the bathroom door and said, "You go in here."   
  
Reed turned his back while the boy stood still as he considered three areas that appeared capable of carrying water away. "Which one do I use?"   
  
Reed merely pointed at the toilet bowl. He tapped his foot lightly, expecting to soon hear the long stream as the contents of the young male bladder emptied. Instead he merely heard: Piddle, piddle.   
  
"All done!" The little one was quite cheery now.   
  
Reed threw a skeptical glance at the Doctor, then turned to ask Dart, "That's it? That's what you were holding in?"   
  
Dart merely nodded. Phlox called, "He's probably new to toilet training, Lieutenant. He will soon understand to read the signals accurately. Goodbye."   
  
Reed sighed, and then said, "Let's get those hands washed. Now, boys, let me introduce you to human bathrooms."   
  
"This is a funny towel," said Ward as he grabbed Sato's sports bra from its hook in Reed's bathroom. The boy was holding it high and stretching it out.  
  
Reed turned beet red, snatched the garment out of Ward's hands and said, "It's not a towel, it's a, uh, a cloth for polishing weapons."  
  
The boys all nodded in understanding, but wondered why Reed had suddenly closed his eyes and was turning even redder. The polishing cloth was not seen again.  
  
~~~~~   
  
Sato had been confident she could handle four little girls. How much different could it be than riding herd over a class of college students? Or working with adolescents? Or dealing with the male contingent of the bridge crew?   
  
She had settled the girls into their sleeping areas without the military rigidity that Reed was trying to impose on his poor little boys. She had even had the foresight to demonstrate the fixtures of the bathroom to the children.   
  
The Ensign was feeling quite satisfied with the situation as she straightened her bunk after shooing the twins off. They had wanted to jump on it. It was also comforting to know that gossiping was a phenomenon that was universal.   
  
"...and I heard Gurtag tell Bukah that he had learned a new poem."   
  
"Oh, it's so romantic! When I get a husband, I'll make him read poetry to me every night."   
  
"And I'll sing him opera. Listen..."   
  
The sound was unbearable to her sensitive hearing. Sato tried not to wince, but had to shout to be overheard as the girls all joined in.   
  
"Girls! We need to finish settling in. Now that we have the pallets arranged and everyone has used the bathroom, we need to talk about your schedules. We'll be--"   
  
"HOSHI!"   
  
The little squeal came from the bathroom where the littlest one had been finishing her turn. Sato quickly ran to her bathroom to see the sink overflowing as Brene tried to stop the trickle that was running down the side of the sink by pressing her finger on the flow.   
  
"It's not stopping it, Hoshi."   
  
"Oh, we just need to turn off the faucet, see? Now we unstop the sink and the water will all flow down to our water treatment processor."  
  
Sato spoke with confidence as she unstoppered the sink, but her heart lurched when she heard a sucking noise erupt from the pipes and the water cease its outflow.  
  
"Um, did you put something down the sink, Brene?"   
  
The little head nodded gravely. Klingon honor was at stake. She would not tell a lie.   
  
I am a Starfleet Officer. I have a doctorate in linguistics. I bested my four brothers in any prank. I have survived the attention, or lack thereof, of Lieutenant Malcolm Reed! I am competent, damn it! Sato kept reassuring herself as she tried to unclog her drain. She wasn't about to admit defeat!   
  
Meanwhile, in the bedroom the remaining girls had discovered make-up. Human make-up. As females have been doing throughout the ages, they experimented.   
  
Once the sink was unclogged and completely drained, Sato stepped out with Brene holding her hand. The sight that greeted her was--peculiar.   
  
"How do we look, Hoshi?" asked Ena.   
  
"I like the way the red looks over my eyes, but Ena had to use the pink," explained Ela who sounded a bit sulky. Well, at least now Sato could tell the twins apart.   
  
"Why do you paint your lips black? I'm not sure I like it." That's when Sato noticed all the black kissing lips that covered her mirror. The imprints were perfect.   
  
"This powder really sticks to your hair. How does mine look now?" asked the curly-headed Rakel. She flounced her hair a few times, sending puffs of white powder around the room.   
  
"Well, girls, it's now time to play Make-up Removal. If we finish, we can meet Lieutenant Reed for lunch early."   
  
After sending the girls to the bathroom, Sato turned her ear away from the water fight she knew was ensuing. She lightly banged her head against the wall. Hopefully, the boys were even more difficult for Malcolm. She pressed the comm to call Reed.  
  
"Lieutenant, I was wondering if you'd be ready for an earlier lunch."   
  
In his quarters, Reed was listening to the telltale signs of a water fight when the comm link alerted him. He held back his sigh as he considered that the Ensign was probably having an absolute ball in dealing with the little girls.   
  
"Very well, Ensign. Then we could take them to the gym to work out their restlessness."   
  
Each officer heard similar sounds coming from the other's bathroom over the comm line. The synchronous smiles on Reed and Sato were lost to the other, but an appreciation for misery loves company was at the forefront of their thoughts.   
  
Reed added, "We'll be there as soon as the boys clean up their mess."   
  
"I'll echo that. See you there in about five--" giggles "--make that ten minutes."   
  
~~~~~   
  
"Remember, the children are vegetarian," murmured Sato into Reed's ear as they stood back to watch the children make their selections.   
  
Her voice sent a wonderful shiver up his spine, but the Lieutenant held his stoic posture and didn't even turn his head her direction. No, best not give in to the temptation. He merely nodded, reached onto Dart's tray and said, "Less desserts and more fruits, young man."   
  
Dart put back one of his chocolate cupcakes and followed the other boys to the table where the girls were sitting. The youngsters began exchanging tales of their adventures, but kept their voices subdued.   
  
Reed picked up his tray and was about to reach for the latest variation of chicken on the menu when Sato lightly touched his hand. This gesture he did not ignore and was soon staring into her warm, brown eyes. He immediately forgot whatever it was he was doing and managed to bump her with his elbow as he turned his body.   
  
"Avoid the breast."   
  
Reed began to blush as he realized how he had bumped into her. Then he thought of her sports bra hidden in his drawers which led to thoughts of Hoshi topless. He began stuttering, "I--I beg your pardon, Ensign. I--"   
  
Sato bit her lip considering she had set up the point of contact and continued, "The chicken, Lieutenant. We should eat vegetarian to be a good example to the children."   
  
"Oh! Quite right," said Reed as he cleared his throat. He made his selection and thought to change the topic. "I suppose Trip is having a grand time with the repair on the Light Bringer."   
  
"He's probably talking Gurtag's ear off right now." Sato and Reed sat down to their meal and envied their friend his assignment.   
  
~~~~~  
  
On the Light Bringer, Commander Tucker was keeping his mouth shut. Anything he said to Bukah resulted in a low growl emitted from Gurtag. It seemed the more he talked, the more agitated the male Klingon became. The past two hours had been spent following the two Klingons through the ship as they marked the places where critical systems were placed. Tucker's EV suit was beginning to chafe and the two Klingons barely fit into the suits of the two largest Engineers. The repairs would require teams to put in a late night.   
  
"I must check the hydroponics bay. Your Vulcan told me that it was intact, but I want to see for myself. Gurtag, show Tucker where the last relays are located."   
  
Bukah left the two men to each other's enchanting company. She expected Gurtag would be quite possessive tonight.   
  
"How many--"   
  
"Here."   
  
"You know, if you'd just tell me the relays show up every two meters--"   
  
"They change," Gurtag growled at Tucker.   
  
"Okay, okay, then." Tucker marked the next spot, then grunted as he tried to open the hatch to the next section of the ship. It remained stubborn. In his frustration, he began to vent his frustrations at Gurtag.   
  
"Ya know, I'm not after your woman, so you can quit acting like I'm moving in on your territory. Not that she's not a good looking woman--"   
  
Tucker ducked just as Gurtag swung a steel rod he had picked up. Bang! The Klingon struck again. BANG! The hatch fell to the floor with a clang. Gurtag had been aiming at the bolt that held the door, but the force of his blow sheered it. Tucker looked up at Gurtag who still held the steel rod.   
  
"Violence is not the Seeker way," said Gurtag.   
  
"That stubborn bolt WAS in the way," responded Tucker.   
  
"Precisely," smiled Gurtag. Tucker wasn't sure if the smile was any better than the growl.   
  
The Klingon threw down the club and offered his hand to Tucker. "The sooner we finish, the sooner we'll be on our way."   
  
"Thanks," said Tucker tentatively.   
  
At the moment the engineer thought he'd rather face all twenty of the children at once rather than spend another minute with Gurtag. Still, it appeared that taking his ill humor out on the latch had lightened Gurtag's mood. The two men continued their survey. Both were anxious for the Light Bringer to be repaired.   
  
***** 


	4. Fair Play

CHAPTER 4: FAIR PLAY  
  
"Volleyball." "Soccer." "Volleyball." "Soccer."   
  
The heads of the Klingon children pivoted as they scanned between the two Starfleet Officers who were standing toe to toe. One of the triplets spoke up. "The way of the Seekers is to find peaceful resolutions to conflicts."   
  
The children nodded immediately in agreement. Yes, it was indeed the Seeker way. These humans seemed to thrive on a certain tension between them. Dart blinked his eyes as he smiled up at Lieutenant Reed.   
  
"Paper, rock, scissors?" The feminine voice held a taunt.   
  
"Best out of three?" The masculine voice was firm.   
  
The children watched as the humans shook their hands and pointed fist, flat hand or two fingers at each other. They were further impressed by the fact that with each turn, the two managed to produce exactly the same gesture.   
  
Dart jumped up excitedly and said, "Good trick. How do you do that?"   
  
Reed and Sato exchanged a puzzled glance. The Lieutenant cleared his throat and said, "How about volleyball first, then a game of soccer."   
  
"That sounds fine. Since the girls are slightly older, why don't you let Dart be on our team while you field the boys and Brene."   
  
The competition proceeded, but the score was soon lost as Reed and Sato resorted to helping their teams "cheat." Dart was so light that Sato could lift him up to hit the volleyball or swing him around and use his feet as a club to strike the soccer ball. Reed was doing similar maneuvers with Brene.  
  
The t-shirts the officers wore were soon drenched as they tried to exhaust the children. As they sat panting by each other's side at the end of the last game while the children had a free for all with the balls, Reed noticed the tag had come up on the back of Sato's blue t-shirt. The name on the tag had been quite clear, however: REED.  
  
"Is that my t-shirt?" hissed Reed in a low voice.  
  
"Possession's nine tenths of the law, Lieutenant." Sato smiled sweetly at him and rubbed the soft cotton. No other shirt was as comfortable.  
  
"I have my own hostage, Ensign." Reed smirked at her.  
  
"You can't wear it, it's useless to you." Sato figured he'd be too embarrassed to keep her garment.  
  
"It will make a good polishing cloth."  
  
"You wouldn't dare!"  
  
"I'm open to negotiations," said Reed.  
  
"Negotiations? That is the way of the Light. What are you negotiating for?" asked Warb as he intruded into their conversation.  
  
"Never mind. How about we get cleaned up and rest before dinner?"  
  
~~~~~  
  
As the two officers sat in the mess hall for dinner, Sato asked Reed, "Can you move?"   
  
"I haven't had a workout like that in ages. Klingons are fast!"   
  
Reed was devouring his food as quickly as he could. He was starving. He realized how rude he might appear, but then noticed that Sato was likewise stuffing her face. They reached for a drink in synchrony and stopped for a moment. This was getting ridiculous.   
  
"Must you do that?" asked Reed.   
  
"What?" asked Sato innocently. She wondered why it had taken Reed so long to notice that they often moved in synchrony.   
  
"Never mind," said Reed.   
  
"By the way, why did you insist on playing soccer? I thought you didn't keep up with 'football.'" Sato had wondered about this lack of interest on the part of the Englishman.   
  
"I don't keep up with it. I PLAY it--and I coached youth soccer while I was at the academy; the twelve-year olds. I take it your volleyball skills are a holdover from your youth?"   
  
"Coached youth league in college, too. Twelve-year olds." Sato nodded as she wondered what else they had in common.   
  
"Any ideas what to do with them next?" Reed was certainly out of inspiration.   
  
"As much as I hate to say this, I think we need Movie Night. My quarters or yours?" Sato had managed to avoid Movie Nights thus far. Not even Mayweather's constant cajoling had broken her resolve.   
  
"My quarters, but you bring the popcorn." Reed looked at the children who were also eating with gusto. "LOTS of popcorn.   
  
"Do you think the Wizard of Oz would be good?" asked Sato.   
  
"No, those flying monkeys always gave me nightmares. How about Veggie Tales? Madeline always liked those."   
  
"Fine. Have a backup, though."   
  
~~~~~   
  
The children piled into Reed's quarters and found comfortable positions. For Dart that meant sitting on Malcolm's lap and insisting that Hoshi be right next to them.   
  
The children sat in rapt attention as the vegetables began bouncing across the screen. The two officers watched as their eyes grew wide, then suddenly Dart let out a howl of distress. "They can talk! They're alive!"   
  
"What? But it's just a movie, vegetables really can't talk." Malcolm was rubbing Dart's shoulder soothingly.   
  
"Change the movie!" Hoshi gave the command in an urgent whisper.   
  
Malcolm deposited Dart onto Hoshi's lap and leaned toward the computer screen. He heard the Ohs the blank screen generated from the rest of the group, but said, "Just a glitch. We'll put the real movie on now."   
  
Malcolm quickly looked through his alternatives list and shuddered when he came across Barney: The Movie. NO, not for anyone! The Adventures of Milo and Otis? Fine. He could use a nap. He started the movie and returned to his seat on the floor by Hoshi and Dart.   
  
The movie worked its magic. The children were entertained and the two humans could soon be heard breathing in synchrony as they leaned into each other. When the movie ended, the children nudged the pair while Dart and Brene pulled up on their eyelids.  
  
"What? Oh, movie's over. Out you go then." Reed sat up and wiped at his eyes.  
  
"Meet us for breakfast, 0700," said Sato as she herded her girls out the door.  
  
Reed stretched for a moment and the boys all mimicked his movements. The two officers eventually slumbered in their bunks surrounded by their troop of Klingon children. But in the middle of the night, Malcolm felt a little hand tapping his shoulder. He opened his eyes to find Dart staring at him. Without a word, Malcolm moved back and let the child settle in next to him.  
  
And in the Ensign's quarters, Brene settled against Hoshi with a smile, too. Some things were universal.  
  
~~~~~   
  
After another day with a similar routine, the Enterprise crew found itself bidding farewell to their guests early in the morning.   
  
"The repairs should hold up while you get your replacement vessel, Gurtag. I'm just glad y'all made it this far."   
  
Tucker held his hand out and Gurtag hesitantly shook it. He and Bukah had made good use of Tucker's cabin at night, although the bed had been far too small for either of the Klingons. It was obvious the human was no threat to his interests.  
  
"My uncle salvaged an older scouter. He will meet us at the station, then we can proceed to the colony."   
  
Bukah looked at her charges as they said farewell to the humans. She was surprised to see Dart push something into Reed's hand, but said nothing.   
  
Reed and Sato stood by the others who had watched the Klingon children. Sato leaned into Reed's ear and said, "I'm almost sorry to see them go."   
  
The Lieutenant spoke without thinking. "I thought I would be terrible with children."   
  
"You're full of surprises sometimes, Lieutenant," said Sato as she threw a smile over her shoulder. Duty called.   
  
Reed stood alone in the corridor for a few moments as the rest of the officers made their way to their station. He finally opened his hand to look at the object that Dart had thrust into it. It was a little ball of wax that had been shaped into a perfect sphere with markings resembling a soccer ball.  
  
The children had been doing crafts yesterday morning and Dart had been very proud of his simple product. He had spent a lot of time rolling it within his hands. Reed tossed it gently in the air and caught it expertly. He stopped by his quarters to deposit the little treasure before he resumed his duties.   
  
*****  
  
Author Note:  
  
If you like sweet endings, stop reading now and do not proceed to the next chapter. If you do proceed, TISSUE WARNING!   
  
Thanks for reading. No reviews are necessary. 


	5. Revelations

CHAPTER 5: REVELATIONS  
  
One month later   
  
T'Pol sat at her terminal reviewing the transmission she had received from the Vulcan High Command. Soval routinely sent her snippets of reports of activity in sectors where the Enterprise had traveled. What caught her interest was the encounter of a Vulcan ship with an old Klingon scouter.   
  
"...given our knowledge of Klingon culture, we logically deduced that the distress signal was merely a ploy for our vessel to enter within firing range. Although the scans indicated that the engine of the vessel was malfunctioning, we again deduced that this was part of the facade the Klingons were projecting. We ignored the distress call, left the sector and had no further encounter with the vessel. The next day scans revealed debris in the area where we had encountered the Klingon vessel. The next point of interest..."   
  
"Captain, may I speak with you in private?" said T'Pol as she made her own logical deductions.   
  
Archer looked up from the Captain's chair with concern, but merely stood up and waved his hand to indicate that T'Pol should precede him.   
  
Reed and Sato exchanged glances across the bridge, but when Sato shook her head, the Lieutenant resumed his diagnostics.   
  
Soon, the Captain was striding out of his ready room, barking at Mayweather, "Travis, set a course for the coordinates T'Pol is sending you. Best speed."   
  
"Captain?" Reed's voice carried his quiet inquiry.   
  
Archer wiped his hand across his face and regained his composure. "We're investigating an accident site. That's all you need to know at the moment."   
  
-----   
  
Space is a vacuum. Without the pull of gravity, an object remains caught in its inertia, preserved by the cold and silent in its repose. The Enterprise came upon the debris field, but a major section of the scouter was intact.   
  
"Malcolm, get a recovery team for both shuttles ready."   
  
Reed noted the strained tone in his Captain's voice. He merely said, "Aye, sir," but his heart was filled with dread as he rose to see to his duty. Sato looked at him pointedly and made as if to rise, but he gave a curt shake of his head. If the crew found what he anticipated, he didn't want her on the salvage team. He was relieved when she settled back in her chair.   
  
Reed wanted to be wrong. For once he wanted his paranoia to be nothing but false prophecy. The shuttlepods approached the wreckage, but soon Reed cut the visual transmission to Enterprise. It had not been fast enough. He heard the gasp as the bridge officers recognized the body of a Klingon child.   
  
"Sir, I'd like to p-proceed with only audio at this point." Reed recognized the body that was clearly in their view. It had been one of the older boys that Mayweather had hosted. "Suit up. We'll recover the bodies as we encounter them."   
  
"Sir, how many do you suppose..." The voice fell off, unable to complete the thought.   
  
"Twenty children, two adults. I want every single one retrieved, understood?"   
  
It took twenty-four hours before Reed made his final report on the recovery. "We found Bukah and fifteen of the children, Captain. We believe that Gurtag and the rest were lost closer to the engines. Reed out."   
  
~~~~~  
  
Lieutenant Malcolm Reed stood over the corpses that lined the cargo bay. At his feet was the smallest body, his boy, Dart. He remembered the touch of his little hand on his forehead and how the small hand had become an accustomed weight inside his own during their two days together. He thought of the small hands molding the wax carefully to form the miniature soccer ball. Reed had not even told his boy Thank You. He remained standing guard over the boy desperately wishing he could have done something to save him.   
  
He heard her soft steps, a familiar tread that was so light she could come upon you in surprise. But during the past month he had become very sensitive to it. Without turning around he said, "You don't want to see this."   
  
"You're right, I don't." He felt her hand clasping his as she said, "But I do want to share this with someone who'll understand. Parents were never meant to outlive their children."   
  
Malcolm drew Hoshi into his arms and finally surrendered. In synchrony, the tears rolled down their faces.   
  
-----   
  
"...I don't give a damn about what Vulcans THINK they know about Klingons! There's diversity in every species and they IGNORED A DISTRESS CALL!"   
  
Archer entered the cargo bay with T'Pol and disrupted the two officers as they remained by the bodies. The Captain and First Officer were clearly at odds and ignored the presence of Reed and Sato in the heat of their discussion.   
  
"Captain, the logical--"   
  
"Scans would have shown how old the vessel was! And didn't you send a report to the Vulcan High Command about the Seekers? I can't believe Vulcan Intelligence hasn't stumbled across them before now."   
  
T'Pol actually bowed her head for a moment. Yes, she had sent a detailed report to the Vulcan High Command with only one omission: the destiny of the Klingons when they left Enterprise. She had not been privy to the information, although she knew the space station where they intended to rendezvous and pick up the new vessel. How much of this disaster rested on her shoulders?  
  
"Captain, I expect the presence of the Seekers is known only to a few Vulcans."   
  
Archer shook his head, realizing he was venting his frustration on his First Officer. "I know. I know, T'Pol, it's just that... They were a promise for the future. The children were all so bright--and ALIVE! Just seeing them with our officers made me realize that we could create a world together. They were to be peacemakers, T'Pol. The universe never has enough of those."   
  
"Captain, I am well aware of the future that is lost with the death of the children," T'Pol's voice held a conviction that further dampened Archer's temper.   
  
Archer drew in a long breath and slowly exhaled. "Look, what do we need to do to observe Klingon death rituals?"   
  
"The Klingons will not want the bodies, Captain."   
  
"What?" Archer's voice was incredulous. Reed and Sato now looked at the two with interest and silently moved closer.   
  
"The corpses are of no interest to Klingons. They are simply empty shells."   
  
Sato felt the need to interrupt at this point. Her voice rang out in the cargo bay. "But these were Seekers, Captain, and while I understand about being empty shells, the bodies should be properly disposed. Those of us who took care of these children need that."   
  
"Funerals are for the living, Captain. It may only have been two days, but we invested too much in the care of these children to ignore that." Reed and Sato moved together to stand by their superior officers.   
  
Archer looked at rows of bodies lying neatly covered. Reed had been meticulous in seeing to identification while Sato had informed Mayweather, Cutler and Moriarty of the children they had supervised.   
  
But asking them to make arrangements for the funeral was too much. He looked at the tear-stained faces of his two officers, one a seasoned veteran accustomed to seeing death and the other one of the novices on the ship. The two officers wiped at their tears without shame as they confronted their Captain.   
  
"You raise a good point, but I think you have some mourning to do. I'll take care of the arrangements. Your jobs are finished for today. We'll do this first thing in the morning. Dismissed."   
  
~~~~~   
  
Hoshi walked beside Malcolm with an arm across his back even as he had his arm around her waist. Neither one cared about appearances nor fraternization rules at the moment. It would be apparent to anyone that the officers shared their grief at the fate of the Seekers.   
  
Malcolm had thought to walk Hoshi to her quarters, but once in the turbo lift, she said, "Let me stay with you, Malcolm. You don't want to be alone any more than I do."   
  
Her words brought the first pleasant feeling he had had in the last twenty-four hours. How was it that the Ensign had come to know him so well? She could translate nuances that had often been cryptic to others. Anyone else would have assumed the stoic Armory Officer would want to be alone. Malcolm exhaled and said, "Thank you."   
  
They sat in silence on his bed while he held that soccer ball in his hand. As Malcolm rolled the ball lightly with a finger, he confessed, "You know, I never expect to get married, have a son. I thought I'd resigned myself to the fact that I'll be a perpetual bachelor. But then when I was taking care of Dart, I began to..."   
  
The silence stretched on, so Hoshi gently prodded, "Go on, Malcolm. What did you wish for? That you could have a son like him?"   
  
Malcolm could only nod. Then he swallowed and continued. "I thought that I would keep a distant eye on my boy--Damn! I was even calling him MY boy. Do you think somehow I jinxed him? That because I began to care about Dart that he's now--"   
  
"Oh, Malcolm, don't do this to yourself. You need to admit that you loved him, but don't feel guilty about it." Hoshi held him tightly and patted his back gently.   
  
"Hoshi, it's always been hard for me to admit that I, that I love someone. It doesn't hurt as much when they're gone if you keep it hidden," admitted Malcolm. "And then it makes it easier to forget."   
  
"But you don't want to forget Dart, Malcolm. You'll keep him alive by remembering. I'm not going to look at Klingons and see an enemy now. I'm going to think of my little girls and pray that someday the peacemakers will make a difference."   
  
"It's easier for me to try to bury my feelings, Hoshi." Malcolm was silent for a moment. "But I'm finding they're too strong in this case to ignore."   
  
"Don't hide it, Malcolm, or you'll regret it. Let that be the lesson you learn from this. Don't hide it when you love someone," whispered Hoshi. "Promise me you won't hide your love."   
  
"I'm not good at keeping promises, either, Hoshi," said Malcolm with a final regret.   
  
Hoshi pulled back from Malcolm and he felt his heart sinking. He was trying to be honest, to reveal something of his nature to her--and it had the obvious effect.   
  
But instead of moving out of his arms as he expected, Hoshi lifted a hand to his face.   
  
"Then only make the promises you can keep. I promise that I won't let you forget Dart or the other children. Can you promise the same to me, Malcolm?"   
  
"I promise, Hoshi," said Malcolm and felt as if he was taking the first step in a new direction of his life.   
  
When Hoshi kissed him, he was certain of it.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Epilogue   
  
The planet's environment was harsh. It barely sustained life, but the remnants of the Seeker colony were evident. A lot of the equipment could still be useful. He did not dwell on Bukah's fate, but instead let himself be driven by the promise he had made her. They had drawn straws because the small shuttlepod could only hold one adult and five children. It was the way of Komerex Zha that the lots had fallen to the ones most identical. Despite embracing Seeker philosophy, Gurtag still believed in the Game.   
  
As soon as they arrived at the planet, he told the remaining children that they would be alone. The children dutifully mimicked Gurtag as he turned his head to the sky and howled. Sixteen times the sound reverberated in the canyon. The Klingons in the afterlife had much to fear that day for they were receiving warriors for peace.   
  
As the echoes died out, Gurtag looked at the three boys, all identical, and the two girls, twins. "We have much work to do."   
  
He had a promise to keep.   
  
*****  
  
Hope you heeded the warning. This was the actual intention when I wrote Power Couplings, but had to separate the stories because of their different nature. I decided to use English rather than Klingon spelling simply because I'm lazy. I did do some background on the Klingon culture to come up with certain terms. Duras was just a handy and familiar name.  
  
Thanks for reading. No reviews are necessary. 


End file.
